5mm... ” " SARAH KENDALL
Tolbooth, Stirling, Thu 4 Mar; Stand, Edinburgh, Fri 5 & Sun 7 Mar
Like most of her Australian compatriots, Sarah Kendall has a soft spot for Britain. At least in a backhanded sort of way. In a recent interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, she revealed her admiration of the UK for its ability to throw up reams of natural comedy fodder. ‘The place is really screwed,’ the 25-year-old stand-up mused. ‘The government supported the war, the national health system is crumbling, there are constant terrorist alerts and the weather is crap. It’s great for comedians because people want a good laugh}
comedy@list.co.uk
Who loves ya baby?
And frankly, there’s no reason why the British shouldn’t be taking Kendall more to their hearts than they're doing already. The subtle, intelligent and occasionally cruel humour (though her cruelty has a rare subtle intelligence about it) should be right up our street. But there are two reasons (at least) why she would be perfectly entitled to loathe us.
Firstly, there were the horribly misguided folk on the 2002 Perrier panel who couldn’t even find a place on their shortlist for her excellent show Sarah Kendall is Well Balanced, eventually handing the ever-grateful Daniel Kitson the award. Still, that same year the perfectly adjusted Herald Angel judges broke with tradition to give a non-theatre act one of their gongs. All’s well that ended well. Except her trophy was a tragic victim in the Great Fire of Edinburgh - that would be a valid second reason.
But the cruellest irony of all is that the Clearly clever Kendall has claimed that her alleged IQ of 82 would have her just above the retard level in Mensa’s league table. Now, that’s just stupid. (Brian Donaldson)
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to comedy@list.co.uk, by post or by fax on 0131 557 8500. Listings are compiled by Maureen Ellis.
Thursday 4
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ['(iC Building. Renfrew Street. ()8707 870707. 8pm. £7. Miles Crawford introduces the laid-back humour of Steve Hughes. pop pundit Sandy Nelson and Ireland‘s Michael Smiley.
New Talent Night The Vatllt. l l l() Pollokshaws Roatl. Shawlands. 649 0007. 9pm. £5. A host of aspiring comics take a few practice swings at the big time. with technique pointers from Bruce l)evlin. The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £6 (£5). Resident 'l‘hursday compere Raymond Mearns introduces the voice of BBC radio. i‘red MacAtllay. laconic Irishman lan Macpherson. New Deal comedian Tony Carter and Nick Davis.
Edinburgh
Bobath Comedy Benefit Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. ()8707 870707. 8pm. £12 (£10). l’ormer (image llill star and Open Mic Award winner Francesca Martinez. who suffers from cerebral palsy. helps trade laughs for cash in this benefit for Bobath Scotland. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 08707 870707. 8pm. £8. Mike Milligan introduces Marcus Brigstocke alongside Irish funnymen Michael Redmond antl Michael Smiley.
Big Word Performance Poetry The Tron. 9 Hunter Square. High Street. 2260931. 9' 1 1pm. £3 (£2). l)eadpan verse specialist Dominic Waxing Lyrical is joined by Paul Birtill. Sean McBride and Julie Dawid for more verbose offerings. Rob (lee comperes.
Duck Downe The Laughing Duck. 24 Howe Street. ()7905 ()45573. 9pm. £3. Camp cabaret packed ftlll of fast and furious frivolity. competitions. silliness and gay-friendly fun.
The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £6 (£5). (iuest compere Jane Mackay welcomes to the stage northern scamp Tony Burgess. plus (ireg McHugh and Mike Boon.
The Snatch Social The Liquid Room. 9c Victoria Street. 225 2564. 10.30pm 3am. £3.50 (£3). A new era begins at the newly re-branded. lilth- fixated. funky disco-cum-cabaret. comically compered by Tap Water Award winner Tony Carter and Harry Ainsworth (aka Perrier Newcomer winner (iarth Cruikshank) back from the dead. Decks are manipulated in a cod funk and hip hop stylee by Babes and 'I‘rendy Wendy (monthly resident).
Stirling
Natalie Haynes and Sarah Kendall 'l‘olbooth. Jail Wynd. ()l786 274000. 8pm. £6 (£4). Double bill of award winning female stand-up. with former schoolteacher Natalie Haynes and straight-talking Australian Sarah Kendall. See panel.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. l'(i(‘ Building. Renfrew Street. 08707 870707. 8pm. £12. See Thu 4 with Jim Jeffries replacing Michael Smiley.
Madcap Comedy Club The State Bar. 148 Holland Street. 332 2159. 9.30pm. £5 (£4). Billy Bonkers introduces Richard Allen. Charlie Ross and (ierry McDade for more comedy frolics.
The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £7 (£6). l‘red MacAtllay gets back to his stand-up roots. topping a bill which includes Natalie Haynes. (ireg Mclltlgh. Nick Davis and Vladimir Mc'l‘avish.
. The Vault comedy Club The Vault.
l l 10 Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649 0007. 9pm. £8. Smooth crowd pleaser Joe Heenan reveals his dark side. aided and abetted by Liverpool wordsmith Richard Allen and Charlie Ross. with compere Des McLean.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. ()8707 870707. 8pm. £12. See Thu 4.
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6). Tony Burgess returns to the Stand. this time without Johnny Vegas in tow. Support comes from Aussie comedy vamp Sarah Kendall (see panel). plus [an Macpherson and Mike Boon. With compere Jane Mackay. Splintered Woodside Hotel. 30 Linklield Road. Musselburgh. 665 0404. 9.30pm. £5 (£3.50). The Capital Comedy crew ferry more laughter masters to Musselburgh.
The Improverts Bedlam Theatre. 1 lb Bristo Place. 225 9893. 10.30pm. £3 (£2.50). Audience suggestions spark surreal scenes of comic madness at this weekly improv showcase. 2003 Perrier Newcomer nominee Miles Jtlpp (who wol. robbed) leads his fellow students in sptintaneous scrapes such as the lost chapters of the James Bond saga and ninja mutants in space.
Saturday 6
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. [70C Building. Renfrew Street. 08707 870707. 8pm. £13. See Fri 4.
The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £8. The l'TUUI' Shaw‘s campest swinger in town Craig Hill headlines. with Natalie Haynes. Nick Davis and host Jane Mackay.
' The Vault Comedy Club The Vault.
l l 10 Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649 0007. 9pm. £8. See Fri 5 btlt with compete Des Clarke.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 08707 870707. 8pm. £13. See Thu 4.
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £8. See l‘ri 5 btit with compere Vladimir Mc'l‘avish.
Glasgow
Frolics without Bollocks Tchai- ()vna. 42 ()tago Lane. 357 4524. 8-10pnl. £4 (£3). Dynamic verbal gymnastics from women of wit Rachel Jury. Donna Campbell. Anita (ioven and Milla Brown. All ladies and gents welcome.
Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £4 (£3). Perrier Newcomer nominee Natalie Haynes and dry wilted Dubliner lan Macpherson join the right rev Michael Redmond.
Richard Allen The Vault. l l 10 Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649 0007. £8. Liverpudlian lyricist Richard Allen is kept in line by hardcore compere Raymond Mearns.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 1pm. Free. lireeform funniness and hangover- banishing antics from resident dtlo Paul (iraham and Stuart Murphy. l:ree(sty‘le) comedy doesn't get much better than this. Bruce’s Sunday Social Fund The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4 (£3). Bruce Devlin begs for laughs.
joined by Sarah Kendall. Nigel Buckland
and guests. See panel for Sarah Kendall.
Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £1. Headliner Sarah
listings Comedy
:15);- The Thursday Show Raymond Mearns introduces the very famous Fred MacAulay. laconic Irishman Ian Macpherson, Tony Carter and Nick Davis. The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 4 Mar. Bobath Comedy Benefit Former Grange Hill star Francesca Martinez helps trade laughs for cash in this benefit gig. Jongleurs. Edinburgh, Thu 4 Mar. The Snatch Social A mix of crisp comedy and cool cuts (or similar) with laughmeisters Tony Carter and Harry Ainsworth complementing sounds by Babes and Trendy Wendy. The Liquid Fioom, Edinburgh, Thu 4 Mar.
if... Sarah Kendall The Wizardess of 02 makes a welcome return to her beloved UK. See panel. Tolbooth, Stirling, Thu 4 Mar; the Stand, Edinburgh, Fri 5 8 Sun 7 Mar.
: Tony Law If a laid back ‘acid casualty' approach is your bag. then Tony’s your chap. We’ve even provided a picture of him for you so when you go to his gig you'll know who he is. The Vault, Glasgow, Fri 72 8. Sat 73 Mar.
Glasgow International Comedy Festival It‘s here and it’s bloody big. Among the comedy giants appearing in the next few weeks are Jimmy Carr, Frank Sidebottom. Jenny Eclair. Jerry Sadowitz. Dora Bryan. Johnny Vegas and Dylan Moran. That's just the tip of a very funny iceberg, indeed. See feature. Various venues, Glasgow, Wed 17 Mar-Sat 3 Apr.
Ledger and compere Jill Peacock illuminate the comedy way for a bill ol eight newcomers.
Tuesday 9
Glasgow
The Floor Show Rehearsals The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 7pm. Free. Watch the cast of BBC Scotland's The Hour Show limbering tip for their next performance.
Red Raw The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 08706006055. 9pm. £2. Headliner Colin Mc(iill and compere Allen Chalmers are joined by a host of newcomers testing the waters. }
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